


I've Had Enough

by orphan_account



Category: 80's Who, 80s Pete, Original Female Character - Fandom, Pete Townshend - Fandom, Roger Daltrey - Fandom, The Who
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-17
Updated: 2016-07-26
Packaged: 2018-07-24 13:27:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7510123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An 80's Pete Townshend/OFC fan fic, with an occasional appearance from the Daltrey, generally mature/explicit in places.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I've Had Enough

Pete gazed at the ceiling above him with glazed eyes, he was bored beyond belief, desperate for a drink and a smoke and sick to death of the blonde woman on top of him who was maniacally yelling her head off. 

“FUCK’S SAKE” came a cry from the next room, followed by a loud thump against the wall, just above his head “Fucking hurry up” 

Pete smirked and told his companion “You heard the man - hurry up” 

The blonde continued to writhe around on top of his disinterested form and after another round of “Oh yeahs” fell to the side and steadied her breath. He didn’t move, just waited for her to realise how utterly nonplussed he was by her company and then as soon as she called him every name under the sun poured himself a brandy and lit a cigarette. There was a loud knock at the door and he prayed it wasn’t her again, come to give him another piece of her mind. A few seconds later it was evident that it was in fact Roger, stood there minus a shirt - his blonde hair wet from the shower. 

“Who the fuck was that?” he asked as he barged into Pete’s hotel room totally uninvited. 

Pete shrugged “Mandy?…No, Candy?… I don’t fucking know” he answered in a depressed tone. 

Roger sat down at the mahogany table and lit himself a smoke, looking on at his band mate and pal with a sense of confusion “Beautiful girl, if not a bit fucking loud…” 

“Yeah…” He sighed, not really listening. 

“I take it you didn’t enjoy her company then, I mean I heard a lot of high pitched screaming, nothing from you..” 

“Roger” he began “Fuck off” 

Roger laughed and stood up “Have a word with yourself son” 

After Roger left, Pete locked his hotel room door and thought about why he was so depressed. Night after night on this tour he’d had a different bird after him, telling him what he needed to hear, letting him behave however the fuck he wanted - most men’s dream he thought. He sighed loudly and looked at his watch, 1.15am. He concluded he was done with meaningless sex, totally. That girl was faking it, he knew that much, faking it so she could tell her college friends she’d slept with a rock star, it was all so… vacuous. He made a promise to himself - no more cheap thrills, he wondered how long it would last. 

 

Pete shot up with a start the next morning, his head momentarily pounding but the shower soon sorted him out, he shaved and made an effort to dress well and sauntered down to breakfast. Roger and John sat chuckling as Pete made his way over, Roger - that fucker, probably divulging all about the screaming girl… 

“Morning” he said roughly as he joined them “Is Caroline around?” he asked, directing his question at John who was in a far more serious mood than Roger at this stage. 

“She’ll be here at 10, why? Is there a problem?” John asked.

“Not at all, I could just do with a friendly face” he confirmed. 

“Oh Pete, you need to lighten up mate, seriously, most men would kill to be us right now” 

Pete didn't rise to it, but he did feel a twinge when John told him about Caroline. Caroline Kingston was their head of public relations, organising everything from radio interviews to the tour rider, she was indispensable to all of them, she never panicked, never stressed, always got them what they wanted and never interfered or judged them on their personal choices. She was newly single, Pete knew this much but he’d not seen her in a while on account of her joining the US tour a few weeks late due to family commitments. He trusted her wholeheartedly and there weren’t many people he could truly say that about, they did have a chemistry between them though it had never progressed into anything. Caroline was always saying she was married to the band and didn’t have time for a proper relationship, she likened them to looking after a group of teenage boys - she was the one to get them out of scrapes while their manager was more interested in how he could make them a dollar more money. 

The three of them chatted, Roger giving up on his teasing of Pete eventually, and they reconvened in the hotel reception, Caroline appeared like a vision. John and Roger said a friendly hello while Pete’s eyes moved from her feet to the top of her head and back again repeatedly, she was speaking but he heard none of it, her tight leather skirt had his attention as she flung her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek. 

“So come on then, who wants to do this?” she asked enthusiastically before informing them she had them a guest spot on a local radio station followed by a breakfast TV interview the next day. Roger snapped them both up, roping John into it with him and they walked off to discuss proceedings over a drink. Pete was still rooted to the spot, Caroline shuffled her papers and clutched at her filofax, “Your room?” she asked without looking up, that caught his attention “Erm, what? Oh right, yes, yes of course come on” 

He was usually so confident, bordering on arrogant but for whatever reason this epiphany surrounding Caroline had knocked him for six. They approached the lift and he nervously pushed the button for the eleventh floor, she noticed his hands shake a little and this concerned her “Are you alright Pete?” 

Am I alright? I would be if I could slam you against that fucking wall and hitch your skirt up and…

“Y-yeah, yeah fine” he blurted out hurriedly, praying for the lift to now open so she didn’t see the swelling in his jeans. 

She stretched out on the sofa in his room like it was the most natural thing in the world and he watched on, making them both a drink “Roger called me last night, told me you were out of sorts, everything alright?” she asked caringly. 

He sat next to her, flinching a bit when she flung her slim toned legs back over his lap - he wanted to rest his hands on them but didn’t. 

“I fucked…. well no, actually this girl fucked me and I hated every single second” he confessed matter of factly, she wasn’t shocked, god she’d heard worse than that in the past, way worse. 

“Why was that?” 

He shook his head “It felt so….” he paused, thinking of the right word “Empty” 

Caroline rubbed his forearm soothingly “Maybe just chill on the groupies for a while hey?”

He agreed, “Rog heard it all, every gory fucking detail, not from me, I was silent for christ’s sake, what a prick” 

Caroline moved her head to the side, her long brown hair falling around her face “You don’t need to fuck every girl who throws herself at you, you’re not a prick, you’re…you’re you” 

He smiled for the first time in ages, his eyes committed her face to memory incase he didn’t see her again for a while, pure white skin that looked so soft, full red lips and deep brown eyes….Fuck she was special. They looked at one another for a little bit too long, he noticed her cheeks flush and he turned away to smirk, fuck - she felt it too.


	2. I've Had Enough

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drunken wooing and a kiss at the end...

The tour rattled through America and onto Canada in what seemed like the blink of an eye, it was almost the end of September and time to head back home to reality in London. Pete, especially was now feeling homesick, he wanted nothing more than to retreat to his own house, sleep in his own bed, answer to no one and just enjoy the solace of his own company. The other guys were also tiring of the tour, the drinking continued to a ridiculous level Pete and John staying up for three days straight and drinking themselves sober. Roger was sowing his oats, meeting up with his special “contacts” in each city they visited. The show tonight had been particularly mind blowing, Roger and Pete were on fire and playing off of one another like never before, Pete chain smoked his way through the first set looking like he’d rather be anywhere else but the roar from the fans soon shook that dark mood out of him. They were relaxing backstage post-gig, Pete and John hit the brandy early and were now consuming more, Roger was in the corner with three girls who were hanging on his every word. 

Caroline arrived with a couple of girlfriends a few minutes later and to Pete’s absolute dismay just as he’d begun to chat up a petite young redhead who was positioned on his knee and looked like she was going nowhere. Fuck, he thumped the arm of the sofa and the girl asked if he was ok, he nodded unconvincingly and panicked as the girl’s lips slammed against his unceremoniously. Caroline laughed, so much for ending the wild sexathons, she sighed. Roger caught her eye and strolled over, a casual arm slouching across her shoulder. 

“Darlin’, I ain’t an idiot, I saw your face change” he whispered into her ear as he met Pete’s eyes across the room, his friend’s demeanour became erratic and he practically threw the girl off of him and a good six feet across the room. 

“Rog what the fuck are you doing?” he questioned loudly.

Roger flashed him a beaming grin “Having a private conversation with our head of PR actually Pete” 

Pete looked at Caroline “About the flights Pete, for tomorrow, chill the fuck out yeah? Your girl is waiting” she nodded in the direction of the redhead.

Pete’s eyes widened, a mixture of frustration and anger “She’s not my fucking girl, she’s a cheap little tart” 

“FUCK YOU!” The girl shouted as she walked past, her attitude fully justifiable. 

Pete shook his head “Fuck the pair of you” he spat before storming out of the room. 

Caroline and Roger sat with a drink, firstly discussing contingency plans for the following day and then once that was out of the way Roger broached the rather delicate subject of Pete. 

“You ain’t been here Caroline, he’s been like a fucking monk, honest to god I’ve never seen him this way, and he’s so bloody charged up he’s like a coiled spring” 

Caroline listened, she’d been on tour with them so many times and it had always been explosive they were a group of people unlike any other she had worked with. Their demands were minor compared to others, it was the whirlwind of their presence and it took a diplomatic and astute business head to keep them in line. There had been numerous fines over the years, arrests even. Caroline had been harbouring feelings for Pete for years, even during her previous relationship which she hated herself for. But she was a professional woman, she didn’t want a one off night of what she knew would be unrivalled passion, she respected him too much for that. When she was on tour with them it was business head on at all times, opening herself up emotionally was a definite no-no. As she explained all of this to Roger, she felt a weight lifted and for all of his teasing and childish winding up he actually gave her some sound advice. Wait for the end of the tour and tell him. 

“Go and find him, calm him down, it’s better you than me, I’m a prick with him sometimes, I can’t help myself” 

Caroline zipped up her leather jacket checked her hair and make up and wandered the corridors for Pete, she could smell his cigarettes from around the corner and when she turned and looked at him her heart pounded a little faster. He laughed in disbelief as his head hit the wall he was leaning against. 

“How you doing?” she asked outright “Tell me to fuck off if you want, but if you do I’ll send Roger” 

He glanced sideways at her, those blue eyes focusing on her menacingly for a while and then softening the closer she got to him. She leant next to him, he offered her a cigarette, she declined. 

“Sorry about the girl, there will be more” 

“I kicked that habit remember” he confirmed before putting the cigarette out on the floor “No more meaningless sex, funny because I can’t remember a time when it wasn’t meaningless” 

This level of self loathing drove Caroline crazy, she wasn’t there to massage his ego - unless it was seconds before a gig of course then she would tell them all how fantastic they were to get them on that stage for 2 hours. 

“Your flights are at 10, Roger wanted an upgrade, flash fucker but it’s sorted anyway and then once you land it’s hotel then lunch then interviews all afternoon, sorry about that but you really need to be flogging these last few tickets” Fuck, she was back in work mode, truly ruining the entire moment, he was almost opening up to her… 

“OK” He said, coldly “I’ll paint the smile on, I’ll tow the line, don’t I fucking always…” 

This amused Caroline, who was now stood in front of his tall, lean body “No Pete, you most definitely do not tow the line” 

He held his hand in the air and shrugged like a five year old “Leave it to Rog then…” 

If this was the whole cliched ‘being a bastard to the girl you fancy to keep her interested’ then she was not impressed, her tact had to change. She could kiss him…. Nah, god no. 

“I’m being a monumental arsehole tonight Caroline, go home, let me get on with it, you know me well enough to know I need to wallow” 

Caroline’s arms dangled by her side as he shoved his hands firmly into the pockets of his jeans, he longed to reach out and grab her waist, pull her into him, angle her head backwards and kiss her deeply, god the amount of times he had imagined that. He was thinking it right now, how it would feel the second her tongue entered his mouth, he would move his hands to the small of her back and press them against her…He was getting hard and she noticed, her thoughts had been similar, it was those eyes and how they could flicker and make her insides jump then that slight grin, mischievous and handsome simultaneously. They both needed to stop these thoughts, the silence deafened the pair of them, their eyes moving over one another and their breaths hitching. 

 

Caroline coughed loudly, shaking herself out of the dreamlike reverie “I should go” she said quietly.

“Where?” he replied, barely audibly. 

“To sleep” 

The noise from down the corridor was becoming louder now, she could hear Roger and John guffawing and the girls whooping and shouting, god knows what scene of debauchery lay behind that door. Caroline swallowed loudly “You should sleep too” she advised, back in work mode. 

“I should, but I know what I’d rather do” he said, his eyes now penetrating her and knowing full well she was weakening for him “And I think you’d consider it a good idea Caroline” 

She couldn’t help but smile at the implication “I think you’re right Pete but it can’t happen..” 

Pete grinned handsomely “Nothing would please me more than to take that beautiful arse of yours to my bed and have you again and again…..and again….have it mean something” 

He watched her face, her lips parting as he spoke slowly and quietly to her, her body closing the gap between them whole time, she tossed her hair to the side in that way she always did around him - always had in fact, over the years, always displaying her neck to him, whether it was subconscious he didn’t know, or care. Caroline looked up at him, his fucking eyes… her kryptonite…She was dangerously close to kissing him. 

“Pete…..we…can’t, I can’t” she protested but his mouth was already kissing away the words of doubt, she squirmed at first not sure whether to pull back or go for it, he didn’t rush her but his hand moved upwards to her jaw and held her face tenderly making her know if she chose to take this further it would be the most glorious night of her life. Caroline pulled away first and took a step back, the back of her hand covering her mouth, “Get some sleep” she ordered before walking down the corridor and straight out of the building.


	3. I've Had Enough

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pete sees his therapist and Caroline acts desperate

“In which ways is she different?” Doctor Grey asked from behind his large notepad. 

Pete stretched out on the couch and thought deeply before finally answering “She has spirit…that’s the thing, she’s just…wonderful” 

“And you don’t think there is a conflict of interest, her being what was it you said, your head of public relations?” 

Pete looked at his doctor, the man he had inflicted all of his deep and dark problems onto for the last 15 years, the man who had seen him high and low - in both senses of the words, the man who knew things no one else did. Here he could be truly honest about anything and everything.

“I’ve known her since she was 18, theres 10 years between the two of us, we’ve always gotten on - had that connection, had chemistry and she has seen me at my absolute fucking worst…” he laughed at the last statement, she had seen him at his dirtiest - drugs, drink and women sometimes simultaneously and still she cared about him. 

“And what do you want from her? What can she provide you with?” 

He thought carefully again, “I want her…that’s enough” 

“So, this is purely sexual?” 

Pete tutted loudly “Not entirely, she fucking kissed me back you know, I’m not some childish little kid, I’m not imagining any of this” he said, defensively.

“That was not what I was suggesting Mr Townshend, we have spoken about your promiscuity almost bordering on addiction, your thirst for women…” he left the last comment hanging in the air. 

The end of the session was approaching and Pete did not feel purged like he normally did, he had spent the entire hour talking about Caroline, he wanted to call her now he was back in London and the tour was over, especially a the atmosphere was particularly icy for the last few shows in Canada at the end of the tour. Caroline didn’t mention the kiss, and although generally the mood as jovial within the band there was an elephant in the room between the pair of them. He got back to Richmond and spent the afternoon in the studio, he was mixing some live recordings from the tour and surprisingly enjoying listening to the tapes. Once he was truly focused there was no room for anything else, no distracting thoughts, no doubts about himself he was 100% on it. 

The phone rang late that night as Pete was sitting down to eat, to his surprise it was Roger. They never socialised outside of the band, they mixed in different circles entirely Pete much preferring the late night club scene in comparison to Roger’s at home with pipe and slippers being the dutiful husband back from the war routine. 

“Alright?” Pete said grumpily upon the realisation of Roger being the late night caller. 

“Sorry it’s late at night mate, just wondered if Caroline had been in touch with you about this fucking festival? I ain’t doing it mate, fuck that, playing to a bunch of morons like at Woodstock, all fucking coked up, I’m livid mate, you’re with me yeah?” 

Pete listened “Tough Rog, we’re doing it” he stated and then hung up.

He had no idea what Roger was on about but he said it just piss him off, and no Caroline hadn’t called, unless it was when he was working but the machine wasn’t flashing. Maybe this was the perfect excuse to speak with her. He took out his diary and found her number, like a teenage boy dialling then hanging up repeatedly, another brandy and a deep breath and it was ringing. 

“Hello?” came a deep male voice, Pete stuttered briefly and asked for Caroline. 

“Jesus, what time do you call this?” she said, clearly narked he was ringing so late “I called you hours ago for gods sake, and i’ve had Roger’s rant so go on, your turn Pete” 

“I’ll do it, dunno what his problem is, lazy bastard” 

“Oh, ok…” Caroline replied cautiously, she knew he was always trying to defy Roger and she suspected this entire thing was no different “You’ll need to work on Roger though”

Pete laughed deeply “Not my job darlin’, you offer that idiot more money and he’ll soon fucking agree” 

“Great, just great, thanks a bunch” Caroline said loudly and rubbed her forehead, yet another Who induced brain ache. 

Pete grinned and waited patiently for her to continue “You fucking bastards” she continued and he took great joy in listening, that was until he cut her off mid sentence and asked who the geezer answering the phone was. 

“It’s Mike” she replied immediately “We’re back together” 

His grin faded, eyes closed and stomach sank, without another word he hung up.


	4. I've Had Enough

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pete hates Mike, Caroline has a plan

Mike. Michael. Mickey. Or as Pete preferred to call him “wanker”….

“Beer mate?” he asked, Pete scowled thinking who the fuck are you calling mate?

He nodded moodily and was informed Caroline would be out of the shower shortly. She was in the next room naked, covered in suds, with red skin, wet hair….fuck he needed to quit this line of thought immediately. 

“Tour was awesome then yeah?” Mike asked like a child, Pete could really mock him here “Fucking amazing especially the coke fuelled orgies” he teased, which really wasn’t totally a lie, his sex was usually as a result of taking huge amounts of coke, orgies…no, not this time round. 

Mike’s eyes widened “Fuck….how many birds?” he continued “Two going down on me, another one on my face and then her mate going down on her” Pete lied, “You lucky bastard” Mike said pervily.

“Why am I lucky? You’re back with Caroline aren’t you?” he snapped.

Mike coughed and nodded profusely “Oh yeah, yeah of course, I’ll not be fucking that up this time” 

“Keeping your cock to yourself then now?” 

Mike slouched back on the sofa feeling put in his place, there was no chance he was going to argue back he had been a monumental prick to Caroline over the years, he didn’t deserve her loyalty, not for one second. Pete glared at him intensely until Caroline walked in, sensing the atmosphere instantly, Caroline asked Mike to leave them to talk shop. 

Fuck she looked great, her hair slightly damp and hanging down, a casual t shirt accentuating her ample bosom, trendy denim slacks clinging to her toned legs. She looked at him through long eyelashes, once again talking but he wasn’t listening - he just kept remembering the feeling of her lips on his, so soft - he regretted not going full throttle and kissing her more passionately - he had opted for tender and gentle, but wasn’t given enough time by her to really get into it.

“Oi, you listening to me?” she asked nudging his elbow, she was hiding her feelings this much was obvious, she was living a lie with Mike, the cycle continuing for another year no doubt. Why did she even waste her time, so many days spent feeling unhappy - looking forward to the next time she got to go on tour…got to see Pete. 

“I really need to kiss you again” he said out of nowhere “Properly this time” 

Caroline’s eyes almost popped out of their sockets “Shut up for fuck’s sake” she said angrily in a hushed tone, Mike was too self obsessed to even be listening in but still.

“No, I won’t shut up..” he said back quietly, his blue eyes staring right at her big brown ones “Why are we playing this game? This charade with you and him, he’s a colossal twat Caroline” 

She scoffed “And what, you’re the perfect man are you? We both know you’re fucked up” 

He smirked, this is what he loved about her, so honest…not like the other women in his life, constantly agreeing and allowing themselves to be put down by him all the time. She had bollocks, he liked that. 

“I like to think I’d treat you better than that excuse for a man” 

Caroline’s head dropped, they couldn’t talk about this here it was too risky, Mike was only in the front room - Pete seemed to be moving closer towards her, dangerously close. He turned his body to the side so that if Mike did walk in he wouldn’t see what he was about to do, he placed his right hand on her upper thigh and began to lightly stroke her, the smallest of motions, the lightest of touches but it meant more than the hundreds of times Mike had selfishly come onto her and grunted above her for five minutes and then collapsed leaving her totally unfulfilled. Her eyes looked down at what he was doing, this tiny action so gentle but so loving…She had to catch her breath. 

“You like that?” he whispered, the tiniest of nods and he knew, his hand gripped a little tighter and she turned her body towards him, their faces were way too close together and if Mike did walk in there’s no way she could say it wasn’t what it looked like, “You need to let me show you….” he didn’t finish because he was mesmerised by her, her body language was telling him all he needed to know.

“Not here…” she said under her breath, her hand touching his and squeezing it tightly “Too dangerous Pete… for fuck’s sake” 

He nodded, knowing she was right as per usual then he stood up and looked down at her, her flushed cheeks making him smile softly, she giggled at that smile - so cheeky, so….lovable. 

“Let me in Caroline, I’m going fucking crazy….”

She wanted him so badly, his hand continued to move on her thigh moving higher and his mind purely on matters of a carnal nature, her eyes flashed from his hand up to his face and she bit her lip, if Mike hadn’t been home the afternoon could have ended very differently.

Pete broke the silence, the charged air becoming too much for him and he figured as he couldn’t pick her up and take her to bed he needed to leave pronto. 

“I’ll talk to Rog, then come and see me one night in Richmond” 

It wasn’t a suggestion it was an order and one she agreed to without even thinking twice. 

The following morning Caroline met with her sister, on the rare occasions where she had a morning free she would arrange to see Julie and her nephew Steven, they sat in a local coffee shop generally shooting the breeze when Julie asked what the matter was. Her sister was always so chatty, with outrageous stories from on tour and she was always engaging with Steven, on this morning though she was distant and she looked tired. 

“Are you pregnant?” Julie asked, with a serious tone.

Caroline almost spat her coffee out “Fuck me Jools, none taken” 

“Oh no, not saying you’ve gained weight you silly mare, you just look a little tired and pale pet” 

She shrugged “It’s nothing, at least nothing for you to worry about” 

Julie sipped her coffee, intrigued by what her sister was hiding “Did you sort it with Roger in the end, over that festival thingy?” 

Caroline sighed loudly “Yeah…. well no, Pete’s sorting it actually” 

Julie’s eyebrows furrowed, never in over ten years had her sister grimaced when being asked about the band, she loved those guys and her job so what had changed “Everything ok with work?” 

“Hmm? Yes, fine, why wouldn’t it be?” she snapped and then instantly apologised. 

“Ok so if it isn’t work it must be that pond life you call a boyfriend…” 

At this point Steven began to cry and Julie took him outside before she ended up with a tirade of abuse from the young professionals who dominated the coffee shop. Caroline knew she ought to tell her sister about Pete, I mean, he had therapy for fuck’s sake he could rock up each week and get all his worries off his chest, who did she have to confide into? She hadn’t been to church in years, hardly appropriate to just turn up and expect someone to listen. Julie returned and continued with the line of questioning. 

“Is he mucking you around again? Honest to god, I’ll kill him, that bastard, that slimy little bastard” she ranted.

“I’m in love with Pete” she said matter of factly and then finished her coffee. 

Julie sat with her mouth agape, truly gobsmacked “WHAT?” was all she could muster, Caroline shrugged and nodded to confirm what she had just declared was the truth.   
“Does he know?” seemed like a good point to start. 

“I’m coming to the realisation that I think I always have been” she explained, with a slight melancholy “I’ve known him for a long time, and he’s seen me grow up to some extent, and I don’t know Jools, it’s time I grew up and admitted it” 

“Have you….you know?” Julie asked hesitantly.

“He kissed me in Canada, only for 10 seconds maximum, but it’s caused awkwardness… He came over last night, Mike was in the other room and he just…he did the smallest thing but fuck me Jools….it drove me crazy” 

Julie squealed naughtily “What the hell did he do?!”

“He put his hand on my thigh and just stroked me through my jeans, that’s it. I can’t stop thinking about it…what a mess…” She put her head in her hands and tried her hardest not to become upset. Julie advised her in the only way she could “Sling that dickhead out of your house and go see Pete” 

Sounded like a plan.


	5. I've Had Enough

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caroline's nerves almost run away with her, until Pete's tongue puts her at ease

Caroline stood at the bottom of the steps that lead to Pete’s house, it was raining lightly as she folded her arms and looked up at the Georgian mansion. Nerves were normally something she had under control, she’d been involved with so many famous people in the last 10 years so nothing phased her, nothing that was apart from her emotions. Her stomach tightened, even though she had spoken to her sister almost every hour on the hour over the weekend and felt reassured that ditching Mike was the right thing. That was another issue.. Mike, the bitter ex boyfriend. She gritted her teeth and told herself to stop beating herself up, the guy had been an arsehole to her over the years, nothing short of cruel at times. She’d not rung ahead to let Pete know she was coming, he might not even be in, or he could be in the studio, or the shower, or the garden… As she stood there talking herself out of the entire thing she saw the front door begin to open and a blond vision appeared. 

“You’ll get a reputation hanging around this place” Roger teased as he approached her. 

She smiled “I’ve already got a reputation thanks to you lot” 

He raised his eyebrows and laughed “Well, you going in then? Nice one on the money by the way, how do you persuade these morons to pay sums of money like that? Amazing..” 

Oh god, just what had Pete told him… 

Caroline frowned “Call it a life skill..” 

“Well however you do it, nice one, now get yourself in there, he ain’t shut up about you, fucking love sick idiot” 

Caroline’s stomach went from tight to turning over excitedly, she and Roger said goodbye and she made her way up the stairs, knocking firmly on the door and smoothing down her silk shirt. He opened the door with a bottle of brandy in one hand and a cigarette hanging out of the corner of his mouth, his lean body looking delectable in fashionable slacks and a grey cap sleeved t-shirt. His eyes glistened when he saw it was her and he ushered her in, placing his left hand on the small of her back and gently guiding her through to the front sitting room. 

“I saw Rog, please tell me you’ve not told him he’ll be getting a record fee for this bloody festival appearance?” 

Pete thought this was a rhetorical question and besides he didn’t want to talk to her about Roger, he’d got her to his house without having to pester her, and now she was here next to him on his brand new suede sofa he was buggered if he was going to talk to her about that fucker’s ego. He poured her a brandy and slouched down next to her, crossing his long legs and allowing his free arm to settle on the back of the sofa behind her head. 

“Pete?” she continued following the line of enquiry regarding Roger’s chipper mood and ominous question on the steps moments earlier “You know I can’t get you guys a million each don’t you?” 

He swatted the air in front of her face “Fuck that darlin’, I’m glad you’re here, how was your weekend?” 

She let it go, she was trying to talk work to avoid letting her guard down with him, which was pointless - she had come to see him, to be with him, to see how the evening went. Shit, they might not even get on like this, until now they were colleagues there was no guarantee they could do the small talk and still like one another. 

 

“Fine, I saw my sister, my nephew, chilled out a little, did some work for you guys…” She looked at him when she spoke and her eyes fixed on him, his stubble, his mouth, his hands…  
“And Mike?” he asked bluntly. 

Caroline paused and looking right at him told him what she’d done, dumped his clothes on the doorstep and changed the locks, she told him he had spent Saturday night in the back yard crying and then shouting and then calling her every hideous name known to man, a slut, a whore, a glorified groupie, a fraud…

“You deserve so much better, and he knows that” Pete said softly, “Remember that” 

She wasn’t upset as such but it was the end of an era with Mike, in the beginning things were great but the more tours she went on the more he cheated claiming it was all her fault he couldn’t keep it in his trousers, they had never as far as she was concerned had a good physical life, Mike was a selfish bastard, she was demotivated - not fussed about sex with him at all, and the days of her initiating it were long gone. She had actually worried if she had a defect but Julie assured her it was him not her, she wasn’t about to divulge the poor sex life life to Pete - she was ashamed by the fact she didn’t assert herself more. 

“I feel pretty numb about the entire thing” she said, truthfully “I don’t miss him, I feel relief but also loss, which is a contradiction I know” 

“Don’t be hard on yourself” his hand was lightly rubbing her shoulder, how long he’d been doing it she didn’t know but she leant against him, his hand encouraging her to move into his side gently, silently her body settled against him, her head on his shoulder and his hand resting on her hip. Caroline closed her eyes and breathed in his scent, the closeness of his neck to her mouth intoxicated her and she felt more relaxed than she had done in months. They sat like this, saying the odd quiet word for a while, her arm was resting on his chest and she released a small sigh when his hand moved from her hip and under her shirt his fingertips just lightly moving up and down. 

“Pete….” she whispered, her hot breath on his neck sending the blood rushing straight to one place. 

“Hmm?” he responded, wondering if she had seen the lump in his trousers or not, he swallowed and coughed, fucking hell he wanted her so bad but he didn’t want to rush anything or make her think this was solely a physical thing. 

Caroline’s lips pressed against his neck and he instantly took control, almost manhandling her onto his lap so her knees were touching his hip bones, he brushed her hair back and gazed at her, if she didn’t know how hard he was before she would do now as she settled down onto his groin and felt completely uninhibited. 

“I can feel that you know” she teased, He played dumb stating “I dunno what you’re talking about” before smirking cheekily, she moved her face down to his and kiss him full on the mouth, he was in heaven, this wasn’t like last time - there was no awkwardness, no clumsy teeth on teeth just pure natural lust. Pete gripped the back of her head, taking chunks of her hair in his hand and moving her head from one angle to another, his tongue delving and retreating, her noises of protest driving him crazy and her moans when he put his tongue back in her mouth making him ache with pleasure. 

“Take me upstairs” she asked breathlessly, her forehead resting on his. 

“This is serious shit Caroline, I’m not ruining it by taking you up there tonight, this is so much more than just that…I want to do this properly, now keep kissing me”


	6. I've Had Enough

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caroline does the business and Pete almost does her

“Mmmmm, I should go…” Caroline said softly after another ardent kiss from Pete who was now lying next to her on the sofa with his arm under her head.

“You don’t have to” he whispered into her ear, she fidgeted next to him and then sat up on her elbow her free hand stroking down his arm and pausing when she reached his hand, his right hand - where all the magic happened, she giggled to herself for thinking that. 

“What’s so funny?” he asked self consciously, she linked her fingers with his and brought his hand to her mouth and kissed the back of it firmly “Nothing, I’m just happy” she answered eventually. 

“You’re not annoyed about what I said? About going upstairs?” 

Pete had turned into this shy and retiring man, she almost didn’t know him - all softly spoken and gentle, a far cry from his public persona, all of her worries about them getting on personally vanished, they’d chatted all evening and when they weren’t chatting their silences were comfortable. 

“Annoyed? No. Confused, yes!” she chuckled, “In Canada you wanted to get me back to your hotel immediately Pete…” she teased and he closed his eyes, guffawing with embarrassment. 

“I was in a bad place then” he explained “I shouldn’t have tried it on, but that kiss was…”

Caroline silenced him with her lips once more, he moved on top of her his passion evident in every possible way, from the obvious swelling in his groin to the guttural moans emanating as she wound her tongue around his and pulled away so their tongues were lolling about mid-air, fuck he liked that…

“Mmmm’god man, I need to go” she moaned, squeezing her thighs against his to try and alleviate the ache between her legs “Thank you for….this…” she sighed into another energetic kiss and then managed to stand up, leaving his body limp on the sofa “I’ll get you a car darling” he offered, she declined saying she’d get the tube and they said goodbye at his front door. 

“What now?” she asked shyly.

“You just leave it all to me” he replied with a definite glint in his eye. 

Caroline smirked, she was intrigued but excited and she went home that night and slept better than she had done in years. 

The following few days were taken up with meetings, mainly involving the festival which she later discovered Roger had only agreed to because Pete told him they’d be headlining, on the Saturday, playing a one hour set and getting a collective fortune as well as 35% of all bar sales, even for Caroline this would be tough to broker. The band’s manager, Richard was also present at the Wednesday afternoon meeting with the promoter and to give him his dues he really pulled it out of the bag and they left with an agreement everyone was satisfied with. 

“That’s given me a headache” Caroline admitted as they stood together in the lift. 

“I’m sure Pete can help you with that…” Richard said slyly. 

“Meaning?” Caroline challenged.

“Roger told me you pair were shagging” 

“Not that it’s any of your fucking business” she began, with her hands on her hips “But we are not, as you so eloquently put it SHAGGING, and even if we were what the hell business is it of yours?”   
Richard coughed and apologised, his red face saved only by the sound of the lift door opening and him being able to turn away from her to allow someone else to step in. Firmly put in his place, Richard apologised once again when they left the building and Caroline couldn’t help but burst into hysterics the second he was out of sight. She decided to stop in for coffee a few streets from her flat and went over the band’s contract, she’d have it faxed to the guys by the end of the day and then it’d be a quiet night in with a TV dinner and maybe a nice bottle of red, she was working on her calculator when Pete appeared vision-like out of nowhere at the end of the bench where she was sat. 

“Caz…” he said, she loved it when he called her that, aside from her sister Julie he was the only person she tolerated calling her that. 

“Peter” she replied, cheekily, his eyes lit up and he watched as she cleared away her papers and put them into her briefcase bag, “What can I do for you, apart from make you even more money..” she teased. 

“Yes, I spoke with Dickie, thank you. I’m sure Roger with thank you accordingly” 

She nodded, nonplussed by the fact Roger would be beyond thrilled with what she had done “What brings you to Chelsea? Not your scene really is it?” 

Caroline checked him out properly as he talked about visiting an old pal in Kensington, he looked amazing again, he’d shaved and she thought he’d had a trim, she liked the close cut crop at the back of his head, made him look boyish. He was wearing Alexander McQueen, casual tee and a leather jacket, grey trousers and brown brogues - he looked insanely fashionable. 

“Have you finished undressing me with your eyes?” he asked mockingly, inducing flushed cheeks - that’ll teach her for trying to embarrass people like Richard she thought, karma and all that. 

“Pick you up around 8 then?”

Pete suddenly showing up on the other side of town was pretty obviously planned, he’d know she’d be in with Richard and he knew she walked past this coffee shop on the way to her flat, incidentally he’d never been to her flat but he knew where it was. He had a great talent for seeking out information, he also - when he put his mind to it, had a great talent for romancing women. He was speaking with Roger, (Jesus did that man ever let up?) just as the clock struck 8, fuck he had to get across town pronto.

“I have to go Rog, I’m taking Caroline to dinner” 

Roger howled down the phone “Fuck me, you, on a date?!” 

“Fuck you!” he shouted and slammed down the phone before rushing out of the house and into a waiting cab. Caroline had come to terms with his time keeping over the years and didn’t rush around whatsoever, she was only just drying her hair at 8:05, opting to wear it up, dressing casual in a vest and a pair high waisted green shorts, a pair of classic desert boots finishing the look off perfectly. 

Pete knocked on the door at 8:40 and she pretended to be angry but lasted about half a second before laughing at him, his brow sweating and his breath short, she pulled him inside by the lapels on his jacket and then shoved him back against the closed door forcefully.

“You know, you’re deceptively strong young lady” he had said before their mouths smacked together in a rough and frenzied exchange, both of them tugging at clothing and skin, Caroline grit her teeth when, taking control - Pete held her arms up above her head while gorging on her neck, the lustful beginning to their evening came to a head when Pete absentmindedly started to press his knee between her legs, her yelp indicated he’d gone too far and that he needed to stop this right now before he ripped her clothes to shreds and had her right there - something which he definitely did not have in mind for their first proper time together. 

“Fucking hell!” he said loudly forming a fist and pounding the hallway wall, angry at himself for almost ruining his plan for the biggest courtship of a woman in the London area since 1800.

Caroline was out of breath, sweating and stupidly frustrated “Why stop?” she panted pulling at his sleeve demandingly. 

“Deep breaths Caz, come on deep breaths and lets go to dinner”


	7. I've Had Enough

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day has arrived....
> 
> NSFW....

Pete opened the door of the cab for Caroline and she blushed a little at his chivalry, it may have been 1981 but she still found it romantic that a man was doing something so subtle and old fashioned like this for her. They sat at opposite ends of the cab, fearing that any personal contact whatsoever would result in neither of them being able to resist one another, and to be doing that in the back of a cab?… Nah. 

“Rog called, told him we were going out, took the piss as usual” Pete said quietly, Caroline nodded, avoiding eye contact as he did look particularly handsome and only a few minutes before she had almost ripped his trousers off. 

“You alright?” he asked, pulling her jaw with his hand softly towards his own face. He saw her eyes dart around his face, and her pupils dilate when they focused on his bright blue eyes - he must take her home to his bed after tonight he decided, she was looking at him like a woman besotted. 

“Hmm…” she mewed, chewing on her bottom lip, he gripped her face tightly and kissed her tenderly much like that night in Canada but minus the unfamiliarity “Come home with me after dinner?” he said into her mouth, she stuck her tongue out knowing that drove him crazy and he engulfed her mouth instantly. 

She was so into him it actually scared her, as he kissed her deeply in the back of the cab her body became weak with lust, she wanted nothing more than to lie back and have him do whatever the hell he wanted to her, she’d envisaged it so many times, having him talk as he made unbridled passionate love to her. 

“Here you are Sir” the driver announced as they arrived at the restaurant he had booked - her favourite Chinese in Soho, they’d been there numerous times and knew the manager well. Caroline felt a little uneasy that he may assume this was a date rather than business, this thought hadn’t crossed Pete’s mind - he couldn’t give a fuck what anyone thought about them dining alone together. 

The server took their jackets and ushered them into a quiet corner, Pete’s knee was nervously bouncing under the table which amused Caroline extremely, his whole chivalrous plan amused her extremely in fact. No matter how frustrated she was sexually she was patient and prepared to wait it out for when he eventually decided he could actually justify sleeping with her. 

“So, I went for therapy this morning” he stated, out of the blue “And I seemed to use the entire hour talking about you” 

“Ok…” she said softly, as she poured the wine for them both and ate a cracker “That stuff is confidential Pete” 

He smiled, feeling a bit more reassured - most women would have done one of two things ; run a mile at that admission, or declare their undying love. Caroline and Pete’s relationship was comfortable enough for him to be able to tell her anything and not have her judge, they would never have that awkward getting to know each thing that other couples had due to their colourful past. 

“I know that….He seems to think me turning this new leaf is good for me, said I seemed calmer” he explained, gulping the wine “Do you think that?” 

Pete’s vulnerability over the years had both worried and enraged Caroline, he’d stress out over the most remote things and then not give a fuck over stuff she considered to be pretty big, such as his spiralling use of drugs and the stupid amount of promiscuity happening on their last tour, not that he was the only culprit there but she was done with comforting the girls they all chucked out of their rooms after having their fun for the evening. She attempted to be blind to such things as his increasing amount of conquests on tour, especially when she realised her feelings towards him, she figured caring about him so much was futile as he was sometimes on a one man crusade to completely burn himself out. 

Caroline thought deeply “I’m not sure if I do or not, there was fuck all calmness when you arrived at my place…” 

This made him laugh loudly, and then look down at his lap bashfully, “My fault” 

“I think I played a part don’t you…” 

He nodded and they ordered their food, “Remember the last time we came here and Roger got off his head?!” 

Caroline guffawed, he’d gotten so drunk to celebrate the end of the tour, buying the crew drinks all night and then the entire restaurant, god knows how much he ended up spending in the end, Caroline recalled shoving him into a cab and the driver being thrilled to see Roger Daltrey get in - that was until Roger had a mishap half way back to his house… 

“Fucking idiot!” Pete laughed as they reminisced “Puking in a cab… fucking amateur” 

Caroline wiped the tears from her eyes “He’d had so much brandy thanks to you, but yeah…” 

Their eyes met across the table, a spark flying causing a knowing silence…

“That was the tour you and Eric…” he didn’t finish the sentence, just gave a knowing nod causing Caroline to become uncomfortable, he took great delight in making her squirm, he found it so adorable how she messed with her hair and coughed when she became embarrassed by him. 

“Please….don’t” she said covering her eyes and then playing with her hair as he’d predicted, “That was disastrous” 

Pete laughed loudly “He was really into you, he told me” 

Caroline looked at him and shook her head “Fuck off you, my sister has never forgiven me for letting him get away as she put it, I mean come on - letting someone like Eric get away I ask you, he’ll never settle down that man” 

Pete shrugged “Just needs the right woman, don’t we all…” 

Their food arrived and they ate and chatted casually, the familiarity between the pair of them was what made the dynamic work so well, the past they could draw from and relive helped matters not to mention sharing the same sense of humour, and having that natural attraction to one another. Pete confessed Roger had been trying to edge them towards one another for years, Caroline would notice subtle little comments from Roger but only now, that it was in perspective did she realise just how hard he’d tried. 

“He’d always come out with that snidey ‘Pete’s your favourite, get him a few extra quid…’ which to be honest fucked me right off” 

Pete lit a cigarette and nodded “I am your favourite Caz” he said defiantly, stunning her for a second, she rolled her eyes and didn’t respond and watched as he made smoking a roll up seem the height of sophistication, he breathed in a lungful of smoke and blew it to the side of her, enjoying teasing her by licking his lips whilst they maintained eye contact. 

“Bastard….” she whispered, but he heard. 

It was gone midnight when they paid the cheque and Pete had a car come and get them, she’d relaxed tonight and had a few glasses of wine followed by a couple of brandies and was feeling pleasantly loose. Pete had drunk too much as usual, but you’d never notice, he just became more cocky with each drink, and with that - puzzlingly, more attractive to her. 

“Richmond please mate” he said as they got in, she didn’t say a word when she realised they were going back to his and not her place in Chelsea, yes he’d asked at the start of the night but she didn’t say a definite yes… His hand remained politely on her upper thigh the entire journey and a sense of nervousness flooded her system, she hoped she wasn’t pinning too much on tonight - maybe she had drank too much and just needed to sleep - enjoy being courted by him even more. Just as she began to talk herself out of the whole thing he was taking her hand in his and pulling her out of the cab onto the pavement outside his house. 

“You go through” he motioned towards the large front living room “I’ll just be a second” 

Pete’s heart was pounding as he went upstairs - two at a time, to double check his bedroom was fit for this long awaited union, his cleaner had been in today and he sighed with relief when he noticed she’d tidied upstairs to within an inch of it’s life. He checked himself in the mirror, his hair was on point, and even if it wasn’t he had that one weapon which he knew weakened her at a hundred paces - those dazzling blue eyes…. This was it. “You deserve this” he said to himself in the bathroom mirror, applying a dab more hair gel to the back and sides of his hair. 

Caroline sat back on the suede sofa, the same sofa where they had passionately made out on for hours a few nights ago, she tapped the arm with her nails replying a definite no when asked if she wanted a drink. He swaggered through, long legs striding over hers and then sitting closely next to her, his hand also void of a drink - this was it alright, he didn’t want to talk to her or put it off any longer. 

“Jesus Pete….” she spat as he took her hand and placed it on his hardening cock “I’ve been in this state all evening darling… all fucking evening” 

He pushed her hand down firmer and a groan left her mouth, “Better sort you out then hadn’t I….” she said breathlessly before swinging her legs over his thighs just like the other night, the only difference this time was his hands were making no mistake about their intentions and seconds later her shirt was on the ground, her jeans were unbuttoned and his fingers were rubbing her through her silk knickers. 

“Wet?” he asked deeply, inducing a naughty grin from her which soon disappeared as their lips smacked together passionately, “Why don’t you find out?” she said into his ear as she pulled back, a low growl left the pit of his stomach and he didn’t need to be asked twice, two of his fingers slid inside her and she began to grind against them sighing and moaning just how he had imagined. 

“Fucking hell, I’ve thought about this for so long” he admitted as he watched her, her chest rising and falling slowly as his fingers gently moved on her, she moved her hair to one side and gazed down at him, and then at his hand between her legs.

Pete couldn’t really remember a time where he was so acutely turned on and they’d not even moved to his bed yet, she was seriously into this he thought, he had no complaints of course, he was relishing the entire thing “Kiss me…” he asked shyly and then she moved her mouth down to him, her arse angling outwards as she fought for friction between herself and his hand. It was a soft and sloppy kiss, Caroline’s hand moving down his chest and unbuttoning his shirt seamlessly and in a move he himself would be proud of pulling his belt off of his trousers and throwing it so the buckle chinked on the wooden floor. It most certainly seemed like she was the one seducing him… 

She climbed back up his body and lifted her hips, his fingers now free but sticky, and he watched with his mouth agape as she stood and removed her jeans and knickers and then pulled him up onto his feet - his trousers immediately pooling on the floor around his boots, yep she was most definitely in control. He placed his hands on her shoulders lightly and traced his fingers down her figure, each curve and muscle made him grow harder in his boxers, his hands ceased at her hips and he gripped them and spun her round, she giggled loudly when his mouth fell to her neck and licked and bit her playfully as he guided her to the bottom of the stairs. He let her go up a few and watched her naked body from a distance, how had this happened? How had him trying to bed her turned into her driving him absolutely crazy like this? He had been so used to women throwing themselves at him and feeling an amazing sense of egotism that this was alien to him. He caught her up on the stairs, his right hand trailing up the back of her left calf and settling at her waist as he then guided her through to his bedroom. Caroline didn’t feel an ounce of trepidation now, her natural allure had won out, she felt a sense of achievement and empowerment - she knew it was in there and Pete had been the one to successfully coax it back to life. 

She watched as he removed his last scraps of clothing, his long legs swung onto the bed where she was sat up on her elbows and he settled on top of her, his arms wrapped around her and lifted her up allowing her back to arch, she began to move sinuously beneath him “Pete….” she had groaned when his fingers stroked between her legs again, this time harder, making her know he wished to be in control. Pete watched her, her eyes closing as she bit her lower lip making his loins ache… 

“Fuck me Caz, I have to have you…” he whispered and then to his amazement she somehow got him on his side and lifted her right thigh over his left “I’ll say it again, you’re deceptively strong…” he commented with a dazzling smile, in reference to earlier in the evening when she had slammed him against her front door. 

Caroline laughed and as they entered into a kiss Pete pushed his hips firmly towards her and for the first time in years it meant something.


End file.
